GUWAHATI: The Assam forest department is yet to start the process of identifying whether the black jackals “discovered” at Nakhanda forest in lower Assam’s Barpeta district recently is a new sub-species or melanistic members of an existing species.
There was much excitement among conservation circles after the species was spotted by a wildlife photographer of Barpeta town followed by anticipation that a genetic study would be conducted to establish the identity of the animal.
More so, after an injured female species rescued from Nakhanda forest near Barpeta town was brought to the Assam State Zoo here for treatment on August 4, wildlife enthusiasts and conservationists had anticipated that the identification process would take place soon.
State zoo veterinary doctor, Bijoy Gogoi, however, said that once the injured black jackal became stable, there was a plan to collect blood sample from the animal on August 12.
“It was kept without food after its condition improved so that we could collect the sample for DNA testing. However, the forest officials from Barpeta had asked us to send the animal to Barpeta for its release in the wilds the very next day,” Gogoi, who has hand-reared many orphaned animals, including leopards, told The Shillong Times on Sunday.
Black jackals according to wildlife sources are not found in India or for that matter anywhere.
The veterinary official further said that such samples are generally sent to the Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad and then to the Wildlife Institute of India for the genetic study.
When asked about the “rush” to bring back the animal for its release in Nakhanda, divisional forest officer, Barpeta, Girindra Adhikary however said there was a protocol for such an identification which required the approval of the principal chief conservator of forests.
“The process will be carried out in future for which we have to wait as the discovery has been made only a few weeks ago. This animal was sent to the zoo because it had to be treated for a mild injury in one of its legs. But once we get the green signal from the higher authority, the identification process can be initiated,” Adhikary said.